The medieval history of Southern Jutland (Danish: Sønder Jylland) is
complicated, and the Nationalistic fuss of the 19th century produced
some extra confusion. Both pro-Germans and pro-Danes used the history
to prove that the Duchy of Slesvig rightfully ought to be a part of
Germany - or Denmark - respectively.
Jutland is a long peninsula. From the old Sagas we get the impression
that Jutland "always" has been divided in a northern and a southern
part at the Kongeå River.
However, if archeology and Roman sources are balanced, one can assume
that the Jutish people inhabited both the Kongeå region and the more
northern part of the peninsula, while the Anglians lived approximately
where the towns Haithabu and Schleswig later would emerge. The pattern
of populated and unpopulated areas was relatively constant through
Bronze Age and Iron Age.
After a lot of Anglians had emigrated to the British Islands in the
5th century, the land of the Anglians came in closer contact with the
Danish islands - plausibly by immigration/occupation by the Danes.
Later also the contacts increased between the Danes and the people on
the northern half of the Jutish peninsula.
As Charlemagne extended his realm in the late 8th century, he met a
united Danish army which successfully defended Danevirke. A border was
established at the River Eider A.D. 811.
Danevirke was erected immediately south for the road where boats or
goods had to be hauled for approximately 5 kilometers between a bay of
the Baltic Sea and a small river (Rheider Au / Reider Å) connected to
the North Sea. There, on the narrowest part of southern Jutland, an
important transit market (Haithabu /Hedeby close to the later town
Slesvig) was established, and protected by the fortification
Danevirke.
During the 9th century the border was adjusted to the south, and
during a period Hamburg was occupied by Danes.
This strength was enabled by three factors:
* the fishing,
* the good soil giving good pasture and harvests, and
* in particular the tax and customes revenues from the market in
Haithabu, where all trade between the Baltic Sea and Western
Europe passed.
The wealth of southern Jutland and the taxes from the Haithabu market
was, of course, enticing. A separate kingdom of Haithabu /Hedeby was
established around year 900 A.D. by the Viking chieftain Olaf from
Svealand. Olaf's son and successor Gnupa was however killed in battle
agains the Danish king, and his kingdom vanished.
The southern border was then adjusted back and forth a few times. For
instance the German Emperor Otto II did occupy land north of the River
Eider in the years 974-983, stimulating German colonialization.
Later Haithabu /Hedeby was burned by Swedes, and first under the reign
of King Svend Forkbeard (986-1014) the situation was stabilized,
although raids against Haithabu would be repeated. Again in 1066
Haithabu was destroyed by fire.
Knud Lavard (killed 1131) was called Duke of Jutland, and during the
rule of his dynasty Southern Jutland functioned as the Duchy which
provided for the expences of Royal Princes, which led to longlasting
feuds between the Dukes and the Kings 1253-1325.
Knud Lavard had inherited also parts of Holstein, and thereby come in
conflict with Count Adolf in the German part of Holstein, as they both
were very keen on expanding their influence and pacifying the Wagrian
tribe. Count Adolf succeeded and established the County of Holstein
(1143) with about the borders it has had since then. Holstein was
Christianized, lots of the Wagrians were killed and the land was
inhabited by settlers from Westphalia, Friesland and Holland. Soon the
towns of Holstein, as Lübeck and Hamburg, became serious trade
competitors on the Baltic Sea. Denmark tried her best to expand her
influence to Holstein too, and during 1203-1227 the Count of Holstein
acknoledged the King of Denmark as feudal lord.
The wars between the kings of Denmark and the dukes of Slesvig were
expensive, and Denmark had to finance them through extensive loans.
The Dukes were usually allied with the Counts of Holstein, who
happened to be the main creditors of the Danish Crown, too. In 1326,
after a war between Denmark and Holstein, the underage Duke of Jutland
was made king of Denmark, and his guardian Count Gerhard of Holstein
was entfeofed with the Duchy as an inheritable fief.
This was the time when almost all of Denmark came under the supremacy
of the Counts of Holstein, who possessed different parts of Denmark as
pawns for their credits. King Valdemar VI (Atterdag) started to regain
the kingdom part by part. King Valdemar's son Henrik was in 1364
nominally entfeofed with the Duchy, although he never reached to
regain more than the northernmost parts as he couldn't raise the
neccessary founds to repay the loans.
As both Duke Henrik and King Valdemar died (1374 & 1375) the Duchy was
the only important part of Denmark which still was controlled by the
Counts of Holstein, who now declared the Duchy to be independent of
the Danish Crown.
Queen Margrete managed however in 1386 to reach an agreement with the
creditors, who acknowledged the Danish Queen as feudal lord. The Duchy
of Slesvig was thereby again a part of the Danish realm - nominally -
but it took another 54 years of feuds until the Duchy in practice
contributed with troops or taxes.
In 1448 the Duke of Slesvig was influential enough to get his nephew
Count Christiern elected King of Denmark, and when the Duke had died
King Christiern was appointed Duke of Slesvig and Count of Holstein in
1460. It followed a period of a hundred years when the Duchy many
times was devided between inheritors.
From the end of the 16th century the Duchy was split in only two
parts: one held by the King of Denmark, and the other held by the Duke
of Slesvig.
During the 30-years War the relations between the Duke and the King
worsened. Finally in 1658, after the Danes had invaded Swedish
territories south of Hamburg, the Duke cooperated with the Swedes in
their counter-attack which almost eradicated the Danish Kingdom. The
peace treaty stipulated that the Duke no longer was a vassal of the
Danish Crown.
As Sweden in 1721 had lost its strength, Denmark could again
incorporate the Duchy in the Danish realm, and the prior royal and
ducal regions of the Duchy were united. The prior Duke remained Duke
of Holstein under the German Emperor until 1773 when (almost) all of
Holstein was gained by the King of Denmark (in his role as German Duke
of Holstein).
German had been the governmental language during the times of more or
less independent Dukes, and remained so. Since the Reformation, German
had also been dominating in Church and schools, while Danish was the
dominating language among the peasantry.
After the Napoleonic wars most of Europe experienced a national
awakening. Not the least in the German speaking parts of Europe, as
for instance in Slesvig and Holstein. 1806-1815 the government of
Denmark had claimed Slesvig and Holstein to be parts of Denmark, which
wasn't popular among the Germans. The revolutions 1848 all over Europe
led in Slesvig and Holstein to a failed separatist rebellion, and
Nationalists in Denmark advocated danification of Slesvig (but not
Holstein). In 1864 the Danish government saw a historical opportunity
to achieve this, but instead Prussia and Austria attacked. After a
short war Slesvig and Holstein was ceded - and from 1866 incorporated
with Prussia.
After Germany had lost the first World War it was possible for Denmark
to support the Danish speaking peasantry in Slesvig in their national
strive. A referendum was held, and Slesvig was split between Germany
and Denmark along a line immediately north for the town Flensburg.
500-800 Southern Jutland probably inhabited by Danes
800-900 [INLINE] Southern Jutland held by Danes
900-936 Southern Jutland a kingdom of its own.
The king was from Sweden.
936-974 [INLINE] Southern Jutland held by Danes
974-983 The German Emperor established a small colony on southernmost
Jutland
986-~1140 [INLINE] Danish Earls ("Jarl") defend the border.
~1140-1325 Royal Princes are supported by revenues from a Duchy
comprising rather limited parts of Southern Jutland. The dukes strive
for independence from the Danish Crown.
1326-1375 Southern Jutland ruled by the creditors, the Conts of
Holstein
1376-1386 The Duchy of Slesvig is claimed independent.
1386-1440 The Duchy is in theory a part of the Danish realm, however
mostly in war with the King of Denmark.
1440-1460 [INLINE] The Dynasty to which the Duke of Slesvig belongs
increases their influence in the Danish realm. The Duchy is in
practice a part of the Danish realm.
1460-~1658 Holstein and Slesvig twin-duchies with peculiar rules for
succession. All, or parts, of the Duchies held by the King of Denmark.
Other parts by brothers and cousins. The dukes strive for independence
from the Danish Crown.
1658-1721 Half of the Duchies Slesvig and Holstein ruled by a
sovereign Duke, the other half ruled by the King of Denmark.
1721-1773 [INLINE] All of the Duchy of Slesvig and the half of
Holstein ruled by the King of Denmark.
1773-1864 [INLINE] All of the Duchy of Slesvig and all of Holstein
ruled by the King of Denmark.
1864-1920 All of the Duchy of Slesvig and all of Holstein incorporated
in the German Imperium.
1920-- The northernmost part of the Duchy of Slesvig (Sønderjylland)
is re-united with Denmark
[ the sections above are available at the www-page
http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq334.html ]

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